REVIEW OF EXISTING ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
The Program Review process is an opportunity for faculty members to document their work relating to teaching, student learning, curricular developments, intersection with co-curricular UBalt partners, and overall program growth. The program review is a record of the state of your program, and its results are an important planning tool, allowing faculty to use the information collected to identify strengths, to spark conversations about directions for growth, and to develop action plans.
Those academic programs that follow a professional accreditation process with external review must still report a summary of their work to the University System of Maryland Board of Regents. Other programs follow the UBalt Format for Reviews of Existing Academic Programs (a format approved by USM) and will use the same kind of summary of their self-study for USM. The Education Policy and Student Life Committee of the USM Board of Regents reviews these summaries and asks provosts for follow-up information. The summaries the Regents receive should be no more than 3-4 pages. Action plans are part of the USM submission. When programs develop an action plan, it is reviewed by the dean and provost, who may suggest refinements before submission.
PowerBi provides program directors with a wide range of useful data, and data requests can also be submitted through the usual process. Program directors may ask for technical assistance on the USM process at any time from the provost’s office.
OVERVIEW OF PROCESS
- The State requires program reviews at least once every seven (7) yearsbut cycles may be adjusted from to accommodate program accreditation self-study schedules or other institutional pressures. Schedules for reviews and any adjustments requested must be approved by USM. The current schedule is here: Cycle for USM Program Reviews. Questions or timing issues that come up during the self-study process should be directed to the Associate Dean, who will resolve issues through the Dean and the Asociate Provost as necessary.
-
Timeline:
- The self-study process takes at least a year. Each college/school has its own timeline and internal due dates.
- An electronic copy and a hard copy of each program self-study with its USM summary form shall be transmitted by the dean’s office with his/her cover memo indicating approval to the Associate Provost no later than September 1. Revisions may be requested by the provost.
- The provost submits the review summary to USM by October 1.
- It’s highly unusual, but USM may request changes to the report; see the USM Annual Schedule for Submission of Reviews of Existing Academic Programs.
- The Provost will present and defend the program review reports before the Board of Regents Education Policy and Student Life Committee. Program Directors or others may be invited to attend the BOR meeting along with the Provost to respond to any questions the Regents may have, but this is generally not necessary.
Guidelines for External Reviews of Existing Academic Programs